Category Archives: Reviews

Man of Steel wasn’t quite as bad as people said, but still not very good, Batman v Superman was an overly-long incoherent mess with too many plot holes and silly scenes, Suicide Squad was simply awful (with the worst Joker ever, here’s hoping the theory that he’s actually Jason Todd is true, editor) , Wonder Woman was really good but overrated, and Justice League…

…was actually pretty good!

We actually do get a coherent plot here that actually makes sense and builds and ties together quite nicely. The antagonist, Steppenwolf, is a pretty powerful sinister villain that causes all sorts of problems for all the superpowered heroes around him in his megalomaniac pursuit.

And of course, there are no spoilers to be had in DC’s worst kept open obvious secret that Superman is going to return. And he does. And it’s handled very well indeed.

As is how the characters come together and get to know each other in making up the team.

I was honestly almost hoping for this film to be so bad so I could delight in slagging it off, but I’m a little glad to be wrong and can’t understand where all awful reviews are coming from.

DC still has a lot of work to do and some ground to make up to catch up to Marvel Studios, who I think are probably too far ahead and possibly out of sight, but for me, this was the best of the recent DC shared universe movies so far.

In some ways, the BvS of a new shared universe Kong is a companion to ‘Godzilla’ but peels back on the science and focuses heavily on a taut story extremely well told.

Set in the 70’s days after America’s withdrawal from Vietnam, the film opens stylishly enough with exposition kept to bare bones and setting characters. What we see is an ever-affable John Goodman and his Corey Hawkins confirm the existence of skull island and, through Hawkins conviction, get the budget and build an assortment of characters to help them explore it.

Tom Hiddleston is the most difficult character or actor in a sense as he plays the British tracker with such reserve he rivals Adrien Brody in ‘Predators’ for distancing the audience. Brie Larson’s photo journalist woman is played with pluck aplomb and humour but sadly does little in terms of plot.

It is Sam Jackson and his entourage of soldiers that drives most of the conflict of the movie as soon after encountering KONG, the giant monkey becomes the Moby Dick to his Ahab as he orders and exploits his units’ loyalty to take the King down. The films plot is part revenge tragedy and part escape plan as #TeamTom want off the island while #TeamSam want to search and destroy the great ape.

Largely building from the first act of the original King Kong the film is a refreshing change of pace while showing that classic genre can still be a draw, maybe not through originality but rather just getting it done. Kong deserves to be seen on the big screen as the island, well everything will kill you. And I mean everything! Everything. See that tree, it will kill you, see the Skull crushers, they will kill you, see that bison, it will kill you, see that pigeon, it will kill you. The sense of watching characters having to trek on blades of death over an island is amazing.

I do rate the film highly because while it doesn’t do anything new, just given a 70’s soundtrack and lifting ‘Predator’ ‘Alien’ and film land politics of the era, it does it with such superb craft I could not complain. My own pulp thrills do not excuse the meeting with the native Islanders or the adventures of Brie Larsson’s’ incredible shrinking shirt. Much like one of her previous films ‘The Shallows’ it’s just incredibly well done.

Its visceral in its violence which I applaud as opposed to the roid rage Laser tag of other franchises and ends with a post credit that left me intrigued with the concept of how this world works.

In many ways, this is the Fast and Furious for Genre fans. I can see many contingents having a field day with the antiquated sensibilities in this feature but as a middle-aged man or a certain upbringing they were a mild distraction at best in what was a great return of the KING!

For those who were a little thrill in their daddy’s eye on 11th Feb 1977, last Saturday saw their 40th birthday coincide with anniversary celebrations for one of the greatest Progs known to man. 2000ad. Forged from the ashes of Actionby Pat Mills, it took the subversive, confrontational and almost anti-social punk tendencies that saw Action routinely canned by the Whitehouse brigade and draped them in sci fi settings to make them more palatable.

This convention had a lot riding on it too. I got an early bird ticket at £40 which is quite steep when you consider the price of a typical MCM, but in many ways it delivered.

Given the ticket price and the fan base it was a much older crowd and less diverse then you would get at some of the broader cons, having said that being dedicated to a title meant there was a lot more camaraderie involved in the environment as no one could argue which was the best band, we were all there for the greatest hits. There was little concession activity wise, a display of ‘Dredd’ props with some judges on hand to pose with and a ‘perp’ corner for those who wanted to do some ‘simping’. Sadly as my colleague was not arriving until much later I felt too self-conscious to ask folk to take my photos in the outfits so I missed the fun in that section. Its notable there were no games on display given Rebellion is first and foremost a Games studio, but given the first announcement that morning they plan to put up their intellectual properties to other developers explains this was for the hard core comic fan first and foremost.

The main draw when talking to other fans were to meet the creators, of which pretty much everyone was there from the whole era. I managed to meet briefly in no particular order: Kew-K, Steve McManus (my Tharg, a fictional role all editor assumes, in many ways the Doctor Who character of publishing) John Higgins, Andy Diggle and co-creator of Judge Dredd John Wagner. Most of the alumni were there and more comfortable than I ever seen them before at these things. From Alan Grant, Pat Mills (the retrospective with him is currently on Facebook) Dave Bishop and of course Dave Gibbons.

The queues….well it’s a hard one to judge. I don’t collect artwork or sketchings. I don’t have the space for them. There were queues and some of them were quite long. I think if you’re wanted to get something off Carlos Esquerra you would be waiting an hour minimum. Me and my late comer colleague were not that keen for that but given what you would get ….I mean it’s a small matter when you consider I went for Boland and McMahon cursed earth signing at Gosh and that was an hour and a half. Personally at £40 I was more about the talks. And there were loads.

I went for the writing ones, as again the big room the big talks. Well it’s like going to a theatre and seeing the massive queue for the big show and ignoring it to be comfortable in the B venue. I went for the writers and I got loads. Robbie Morrison, Robbie Williamson, Al Ewing, Emma Beeby, all in good form.

The only disappointment was the ‘Slaine’ Bar. I was expecting a whole decked out corner. But it was basically an, admittedly rather ornate fascia placed on the front of the bar. And then you get the regular gripes of a convention. The price of hotel drinks.

In short though it was a great day for those more hard-core fans then me. And I hope we see a growth in more of this style of conventions rather than the one size fits all of the MCM. It put the comics front and centre and the atmosphere was great.

Well this was the bold decision, to create a hidden chapter in the franchise. While it would be familiar enough to the ‘classic trilogy’ it would also suffer for being a foregone conclusion in many ways, so one does not envy the task given Gareth Edwards in this first foray into a cinematic expanded universe.

In many ways, the film takes us to a much greyer world than the classics. A brutalistic one, because not only has the sense of hope been removed, but with it any sense of dashing escapes, wit and daring dos. While we follow the story of Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen Erso the man who would be at the core of creating the death star we slowly see her back story as the film sees her come to join the rebellion and lead the cadre to steal the plans.

While the force awakens was criticised for being too much like A New Hope, this film is closer in beats and story, complete with cantina like scenes of intrigue and politicking. In many ways, this is like a bizarre Mirror Universe of the first film. With Erso as skywalker, Cassian as a more bloodthirsty “shoot first, shoot last and shoot always” Han Solo with an evil goatee, Alan Tudyks Reprogrammed android the new Chewbacca and Forest Whittaker shouting platitudes and grievances like the Obi Wan Kenobi toy when it gets kicked out the pub in an Adam and Joe sketch.

Admiral krennick is charismatic as the evil lead, he has poise lines and wit. Sadly, he seems somewhat perfunctory to the events as they unfurl and ends up being the Empires most aggressive admin assistant. I mean the best dressed one too but ultimately…. a man from H.R who needs you to sign a form.

The problem I think that lies in the heart of this is the film neatly breaks in two. The first half is showing a Star Wars world with more desperate measures being undertaken and no force powers to save us. Unfortunately, by doing that the years have been unkind to this era and by covering everything in a filter of shit the underdog scum lands look pretty unoriginal compared to all the direct underdog skive lands that stole from Star Wars in the 80 and 90’s. I did have points where I was thinking …” fuck it …put Trancers on”

Having said that though the second half kicks like a mule and once the mission is a go I was enthralled. I think it takes some doing in this case as while so much of the events are a foregone conclusion Edwards has created some of the best space battles ever put to screen and the last 20 minutes manage to confirm everything we thought happened while showing us it in such a way you cannot help but be excited.

I often have told friends and confess that whenever I watch Star Wars again on my own, I tend to skip straight to the cantina and watch it from there as the desert stuff bores me. In many ways, this is the same. You will have a great time at the end, but whether or not it was worth it with a leaden start is harder to say. P.s. I really suggest strongly you think about taking younger kids or not. I have a 6 year old nephew and have texted his dad to have a look first. It’s the grimmest most viscerally and brutally violent Star Wars yet. And I think is the poorer for it.

This is a terrible film, this is a Troma level of terrible without the effects or even multiple cameras. But I have been asked by our editor to talk about the whole DVD and it is surprisingly rewarding. Even if the editor turns up halfway through and …. well he also asked me to review the whole experience so here you go.

Even before I begin I get the sinking feeling at the scrawl on the back of the envelope says the dvd is “out of sync”. Sighing I take it up stairs looking at the cover that is a montage to make a bad thing look even more trashy. Then I wait until the folks are away and get myself ready to review this.

Having not seen the first film (who did?) I was not sure about Pervo. Part Alan Partridge and part Chubby Brown, he is a survivor of some previous zombie women attack desperate to get back in the limelight. Grubby encounters with several entourages later and we see him taking a road trip to a deserted area with his adhoc entourage making up the fodder. One of them was on Big Brother and he seems as incapable as most of the script. The film is largely improvised, great. You need talent for improv or at least a tight script to rephrase from. This is just shouting cunt a lot. Which is kind of funny, with timing, nuance, pause. And the word cunt. But that’s not what happens.

Special mention should be given to the strong female super team “The Bad Habits”. Sizzling in sass as the Four Force Fox four they have a great chemistry and a sense of purpose but that is soon spent like one of Pervos “jokes” very quickly. Given how they do most of the genuine action there was a faint promise of me finally seeing the “renegade Nuns on Wheels vs Batwinged Bimbos From Hell” film I am constantly kickstarting but it never happens. All of this gets padded out with more and more scenes which it seems only exist to hit the magical feature length run time. I think it says a lot when the main zombie conversion only occurs a good forty minutes into the film. And they spend most of the film shuffling off the side of the camera like an irate mob from the Benny Hill Show. An obvious inspiration for some of the Japes, but again without the pacing, puns or levity.

Warren speed has given himself a tough role relying on sheer energy to bulldozer this through. However, the screen has amazing stopping power as does the makeup he must have endured to keep that look on throughout. On a low budget feature (the first of many low budget feature comments) if you can’t afford good shots to get the expression, then don’t cover the expression with kiss make up.

Watching this is Like watching through a flickering peephole for bad taste. The lighting is off. The location looks like holding placements/ those inter scene bits you would see on shitcoms to show where the groovy gang are now. Apparently, they only had one camera, and that camera could not move through any of the sequences. This film could do with a D.O.P and…another camera. Even iPhone level would have helped.

The commentary is in many ways a bizarre experience. After sitting through a badly shot, badly lit, poorly veiled softcore with no story we get a rather earnest viewpoint from the director who, bless him obviously put so much work into this. At every point. Yet for what. I get the feeling the relationship with warren was warren screaming what was important to his mind and the director being some freakishly capitulating soul. There is a drinking game to be had in this, down a shot every time he says “in a low budget movie” it’s almost like a mantra. Made even more incomprehensible as so many decisions about a low budget movie are poor. The wet t shirt scene serves no purpose, he knows it serves no purpose, but it makes the film feature length. That’s not a feature. That a short with some tits in it boring everyone. He is dedicated to trying to make a story. That did not happen. He is obsessed and to be fair to him he dolls out credit to all the people who made the film happen. From the sound mix to getting a ford Capri. The Capri is good for a scene and how much do you need to hear Pervo swear in High Def? watching my editor pratfall like a massively cheap Finsbury Park (The Harry Hill Show ed.) tribute was good but not enough is made of it. And some lighting would have helped a lot. Even another camera would have helped. And actors. And…you know what. Watch it with the commentary as it’s like the Don Quixote of fucking commentaries.

In short the film is nothing you haven’t seen clogging up the content folder of amazon prime to try and compete with the quality on Netflix. Its badly filmed and paced and the moments of game high kinetic punch it seems to try and capitalise on would have been better in a 15-minute short. I do bizarrely enough recommend this DVD. I recommend it because the commentary. If you’re interested in making films, whatever else these fuckers did it. You can learn so much from this and I know my next short will be better for it so with that in mind.

As the MCU continues to expand in delightful ways, Strange exists as a film to give some breathing space to the relatively cramped Marvel Universe depicted in Civil War. For those unfamiliar with the character this is a bold step for Marvel, one they waited to introduce until the right time and they do it brilliantly.

Opening with an origin story We see the witty lines, the rejoinders and the now obligatory pop music sound track commentary that admittedly made me feel I was about to embark on an Iron man retreat. However this hand holding is crucial for the realms about to be introduced. Strange is a man, like Stark, at the top of his game and a crisis pushes him into learning humility and real power.

As he travels to heal his hands we see an incredibly Strong supporting cast in the roles of Wong, The Ancient one and Moro. Mordo Deserves special mention at this point, by giving what was previously a sinister Evil twin to Strange, into a fully fleshed character and motivation in his own right . Fans of the comics know he becomes one of Strange’s greatest enemies, but here we see a partner more than rival and how he will develop in the future.

The story itself without the performances or the rich characterisation is pretty route. However, the Finale and the way the greater evil is defeated is something really setting up the tone for future Doctor Strange adventures.

A film cannot exist on its spectacle alone, but the spectacle in this is truly outstanding. It’s very much like watching Ditko’s most fevered dreams smeared across in the screen in dazzling delight. As a side note, for an adaption that takes so many ques from the comics visually it was irritating to see the new Marvel studios intro logo. Rather than the montage of Doctor Strange comics within the letters, we get clips from various previous marvel films, a choice I feel distances the universe from its heritage and is a bit insulting. Having said that the changes it made with the original source has definitely contemporised the characters in a way that a more ‘trad’ telling would have been frankly questionable.

In short it has definatly reinvigorated my interest in the MCU and I look forward to further adventures of The dark/mirror/multiversal realms Strange Travels.

It’s been a few days. I have recovered from what was an assault on taste, senses and storytelling so I feel I can now share.

The premise of the film is a classic outlaw staple in cinema from the Dirty Dozen to Battle Beyond the Stars to the upcoming Magnificent Seven. The notion of a ragtag bunch of outlaws being flung together to help save the world from a bigger evil, coupled with the recognition and iconic power of Harley Quinn, the Joker and Batman should have been enough to draw anyone in.

I went to a Friday afternoon screening filled with people who were so geared to love this film. They all came out sighing.

It’s not so much that it has no plot but rather that it is spread so thinly amongst the two hours of neon carnage it’s almost imperceptible. We take 20 minutes of establishing the characters, 15 of which are spent saying Deadshot loves his daughter, did we mention he loves his daughter, he shoots people, and he loves his daughter, and the other three on Harley Quinn being hot and the other two for the rest of the losers.
From this we follow the team from point A to point B. Really. Ultimately it’s a bunch of goons walking down a street. And then they get to the skyhole (as an aside I’m sick of fucking skyholes). The only redemptive part of this film is they don’t have a fight on a bridge or a train. But still. It’s another fucking skyhole.

This film felt like going round to a rich kid’s house who’s got a fantastic new console and the latest triple AAA release and spending two hours watching him play the game while you watch the fucking clock. Quicktime moments aplenty as this on rails platformer overdoses on gummy bears and glow sticks, throws them up, picks it up and throws it in your face.

Batman barely registers and The Joker adds nothing to the film. Nothing! I think he looks good and at first I thought he was terrible, on reflection that’s unfair as he does nothing to be terrible with.

By the time we get to the end people are assuming special abilities like Mario picking up a power pill as suddenly they go full on power rangers and shit super powers out their hot pants.

I give this film two stars for some of the lines, most of which you have seen in the trailer, and frankly for taking chances. They don’t pay off but its bold strokes. The D.O.P and casting have done a tremendous job but this is not so much a polished turd as one with rainbow sprinkles hidden on a Wurlitzer and you don’t know when it might hit you.
Since I saw the film many people have come out to defend it. I myself have some sympathy as I really enjoyed BvS. I don’t think this works though and the notion that it’s for the fans? Well I’m a fan, a fan of comic books and good films. This is neither. Avoid the big screen and wait for the stream.

Matt Murdock is back.
Is the best superhero show on TV, still the best?

Short answer, yes.
Season Two of Daredevil has landed, let the bingeing commence. At first glance the second season isn’t a repeat of the first. It moves faster, it doesn’t linger quite so much on long conversations with priests or mentors, and it certainly doesn’t have a central villain of the stature of Wilson Fisk. Instead there’s new characters, and broader questions about the vigilante actions of Daredevil, who is now well and truly established in Hell’s Kitchen.
Of the new kids, John Bernthal gives us perhaps the best Punisher yet. Without a doubt it’s the most interesting take on the character. Almost immediately he clashes with Daredevil and sparks fly as two different ideologies go head to head. Much of this season rests on the shoulders of Frank Castle, and Bernthal handles it without missing a beat.
Add to that Elodie Yung as Elektra and suddenly Matt Murdock’s world looks very different. Sadly, Elektra struggles to reach the heights of the Punisher, and her character is probably the weak link of this series. Also in keeping with the slightly different tone, the show veers away from organized crime, and into ancient cults, and ninjas which may seem a little jarring for those not already fans of the Man without Fear.
Some things haven’t changed though, and the fight choreography is still the best of any superhero TV show, probably the best of any TV show, period. If anything, the sheer amount of fighting is more and the Punisher introduces a bloodier element to it all.
Daredevil, Elektra, Punisher, ninjas… You had me at hello.

I can’t help but wonder how Ben Affleck feels. The story always was that Affleck took the role of Daredevil in the movie, because he thought he’d never get to play Batman. Ironically, now he’s playing Batman, it’s not going so well, while Charlie Cox is knocking Daredevil out of the park.

Overall, if you’re worried that season two won’t live up to season one – relax. The DNA of Season One is still there, it still elevates the material to new heights, but this is not an exact copy and it delves even deeper into comicbook lore. Was Season One better? Hard to say, but one thing we can all agree on… bring on Season Three.

At no expense spared I flew two of my top reviewers to London and Australia to cover the premiers of Batman vs Superman Dawn of justice. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the quality of the beer, perhaps it was the ladies underwear they were wearing, but I ended up with two distinctly different reviews. Here they are, follow the bitch fight as they continue to argue in the comments. Feel free to pitch in.

BATMAN VS SUPERMAN ; DAWN OF JUSTICE by Rob Deb

Rating : 4/5
Almost three years on from its initial announcement this has probably been one of the most hotly anticipated films since with the exception of the Force Awakens. With this level of scrutiny one cannot help but feel that you have seen the film already and made your judgement call. Firstly you haven’t and second, it was Brave and the Bold wasn’t it?

From the outset Snyder returns to his favourite themes; that of Man vs. God. With an opening set piece reminiscent of Cloverfield the film starts during the final scenes of Man of Steel as we watch Bruce Wayne do his utmost to save all he can in the plight of the often commented on destruction.

The film sets a collision course from this point between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel; you will get to see the fight night bout you have been waiting for but there are a good 12 rounds to go before you see the final blow.

Wasting very little time on anything but the most elemental aspects of ‘Batman’ his character is a great take on the caped crusader; a little weary and very lost and still increasingly consumed by rage, Affleck does a great job of bringing out the feral charm of our anti-hero. He is painted almost as a timeless batman with scenes cut and cribbed from his entire publication run while boiling it down to a man driven to the edge for justice.

The film is primarily, first and foremost a Superman film. As Clark deals with the consequences of his actions and the scrutiny of the world. As the world comes to both see him as a Saviour and a menace at the same time.

The film is grandiose, colourful, audacious and admittedly absurd. But the through line and the plot exist on an operatic scale that is built for such things.
In regards to ‘world building’ there is a whole sense of a universe and alien worlds here.

Wonder Woman brings a much needed dimension to the piece while also creating more questions than answers and leaves me eager to see where that character goes. My reasons for not giving it five are more in the detail; ironically while the story is relatively linear, it’s when it attempts to restrain itself to plot in certain scenes it struggles. It’s a messy film ‘but a glorious ‘Eton Mess’ of a film and I would have liked to see it be allowed to expand on that aspect.

There weaknesses lie in Lois Lane, who is acted gamely by Amy Adams but does little to add to the story except in the most perfunctory manner, in many ways a wry ‘Alfred’ to the big blue boy scout. Jessie Eisenberg ..Well…I’m not a fan of his acting choices and while it’s a refreshing take on Lex Luther he lacks the sense of menace that I feel is so intrinsic to the character.

This film is a film of the heart and will leave you punch drunk with its audacity, a great one to see.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by Nik Coppin 2.5/5
Two things I said from the start. Ben Affleck will be a better Batman than people think. He was.
They have decided to put too much and too many characters in the movie. They did.
For a movie that was meant to be Batman versus Superman, we took a very long, convoluted and confusing time getting there, and when we did – courtesy of a quite ridiculous plan by Lex Luthor, they didn’t go at it very long.
Of course then Zack Snyder decided to have yet another darkness and flashing light show of levelling buildings. Why-oh-why with all of that, Zack? Again.
The characterisation of Diana Prince was good and our new Wonder Woman clearly has an interesting back story and potential for her movie, but her getting involved in the mass destruction dust-up with Doomsday the way she did was needless. She would’ve been better saved for later and just portrayed as an interesting and mysterious woman for now.
Too much about this movie didn’t make sense, but if they’d concentrated on what the title of the movie said it was going to be about and not getting all pre-Justice League on it, it could have done. It would have been a lot better too.
Sorry DC, but if anything, this has just proved again that you are simply too far behind Marvel and are not getting any closer to catching up.
Considering this was a match-up we’ve all been hoping and waiting for on the big screen for so long, it was very messy and disappointing.

Now bare with me true believers, why you ask am I reviewing a classical music CD? Well, for one thing we aim to be open minded at Meanwhile Comix and embrace all things original.

William Herschel 6 Keyboard Sonatas CD.

This CD is a collection of sonatas by William Herschel, who I always knew as an astronomer but now I am enlightened and have learnt he was quite the composer to boot. Having always had an interest in space I came across this recording (not like that you filthy minded fool) and thought I’d go forth to another dimension. The CD is performed by the Herschel Ensemble and overseen by it’s director Sophia Russell who is not only talented but damn saucy too. The music is written for harpsichord with violin and cello and is extremely accessible. It’s very catchy and uplifting and the performance is musical and full of energy. This CD is a brilliant introduction to listening to classical music from that period and I can guarantee foot tapping by the end of it. It’ll be the soundtrack of a sci-fi film in the future, you heard it here first.